The present invention relates generally to the field of conveyors, and specifically to guide rail systems for guiding items moved by a conveyor defining a path with a straight or curved segment, and including equipment connected to such conveyors, as found in modern assembly, such as rinsers, fillers, cartoners, and case packers, to guide product into and out of such machines.
It is common for conveyors to need some type of guide rails alongside the conveying surface, so as to keep the items being conveyed from falling off the conveyor, or even just to keep the items upright and not falling over on the conveying surface, which could cause not only damage to the items being conveyed, but also jamming of the conveyor or the items being conveyed. It is desirable to be able to adjust the spacing between the guides, so as to accommodate different types and sizes of items to be conveyed. There have been prior systems where the spacing of the guides has been adjustable. But there is a need for simpler and quicker adjustments of the spacing.
The present invention relates to improvements over the apparatus described above and to solutions to some of the problems raised or not solved thereby.